Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-04-28

longs The use of that Land is worth
something to us both"
Uncle Joe's lips closed for a moment
very tightly. Then he replied:
"It's good enough for me as it is!''
| Now, that meant great deal from
Uncle Joe. 1t meant that he had not
forgotten the strife of almost half a
century ago with neighbor Freebooter.
and that he had no inclination now to
depart from the decision he had then
formed never to help build fence on
the line. Dick was not slow to see that
there was something back Of the farm
er's remark, and he wisely said no
more about the lane.
But, as fate would have it, the Legis-
lature of the State about that time
happened to recognize the fact that
there were number of Devils lanes
inside its boundaries; and, appreciat-
ing the fact that they were but stand
ing monuments of mans perversity.
some one introduced a bill to do away
with them forever. In case the parties
in interest could not or would not
agree to build joint fence. the trus-
tees of the township were authorized to
locate the line, build fence upon it,
and charge the expense to the general
tax.
This. Dick knew, but his steady-go-
ing neighbor did not. So that when
some one happened to remark to Dick
that it was about time the lane was
closed up. it set the young man to
thinking very earnestly.
Why should Uncle Joe persist so
foolishly in maintaining that crop of
bushes and briars. His farm was
everywhere else model of thrift.
After awhile he ventured to approach
Uncle Joe again on the subject and
told him, as the law then was, he
didn't see but the lane would have to
be done away with. But the old man
was immovable. 1t passes all compre-
hension what an amount of litigation
and neighborhood difficulty have
grown out of so simple a matter as the
construction of a line fence. Men sens
IDLE in most matters have been made
enemies for life by just such thing as
that. 1t is my duty to chronicle the
fact that, the more Dick thought about
it the more # aroused him. 1t was
downright meanness on the old mans
part to stand out in that way, accord
ing to Dicks opinion. Of course, he
was an old man now and full of
whims; but he ought to listen to COM
mon sense.
He finally talked it over with Bess
and, like the sensible girl she was, she
sought to act rs mediator between
the two men. 1t was not the first time
woman's heart has been crushed by
the obstinacy of two men, like wheat
by millstones. Uncle Joe finally told
Bess never to mention the thing to
him again. The fence was all right rs
it was and should not be disturbed.
He had thought Dick Lamson ga pref
ty square kind of fellow" but if that
was the way he was going to act, he
didn't want any thing more to do with
him; and, as for Bess, she needn't
think she would ever get his consent
to marry such an out-and-out scoundrel
as he was!
OF course that put the climax on the
trouble. Bess, with her lovely eyes
full of tears, told her lover the old
mans decision, and Dicks teeth came
together hard as he listened.
SO it was war, was it? Well, if that
was so, he would see what the law
could do.
In about ten days after that the trus-
tees went out to the farms and very
gravely struggled through the tangled
lane and staked out the line. Then
they served notice on the two men
that they must build good legal fence
there within thirty days. Uncle Joe
grimly looked on, and remarked that
he guessed he knew what the law was,
and he'd try to live up to 1t.
Dick went ut once to work and cut
rails and drew them to the lane for the
purpose of building his part of the
fence. but Uncle Joe made no move in
that direction. He spent much of his
time in the neighborhood of the lane.
He carried his gun most of the time.
Now and then he brought home rab-
bit for dinner. He had been, so he was
fond of saying. something of a hunter
in his time, and even now was counted |
a good shot for man of his age.
After Dick had finished splitting
rails for the fence. he had sharpened |
his axe. and, taking good scythe,
went down to clear the ground of
brushes and briars. He knew this |
would be no small task, but his arms
were strong and his will good. Hard
ly an hour had he worked when rifle
shot rang out on the air, and his
strong right arm dropped to his side,
painfully wounded. So severe was his
injury that he could do nothing
toward discovering who fired the MUIR
derous shot, and he was alone. After
he had made his way to the house, the
al ay.,y, opI orou-I % ,,,or